@Tim C wrote:Michele,I have to say, I'm blown away at how you can run / race so many events so close together with such amazing results. Damn impressive.

Thanks, Tim. Unlike others on the boards here, my philosophy is quality vs. quantity as over the years, I have found that it works for me. I have tried the high mileage thing and got hurt, but I find if I run less miles combined with quality workouts and races and lots more cross training in the gym, I have better results. But remember, we are all an experiment of one!

I'm also impressed with the quantity and quality of the races you're able to string together! It is good to hear that your philosophy is quality vs. quantity with lots of cross training. I have a similar philosophy and often feel guilty that I don't try harder to get in more miles. It certainly seems to work for you.

Need to close out this blog as Boston training started yesterday. Not feeling wonderful right now and hope it is just a funk as I'm tired and have run a lot lately. Its probably weather too as winter just sucks around here. Anyway, over 50 people showed up last night at the our run, so it is great to see so many sticking it out for the winter even for races in April and May!

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Need to close out this blog as Boston training started yesterday. Not feeling wonderful right now and hope it is just a funk as I'm tired and have run a lot lately. Its probably weather too as winter just sucks around here. Anyway, over 50 people showed up last night at the our run, so it is great to see so many sticking it out for the winter even for races in April and May!

Need to find my mojo for April. I know it is just hiding somewhere.

Jeeze, with CIM coming up Sunday I haven't even thought about Boston yet. Ugh, I'm with you - gearing up for BOS again just doesn't thrill me. You're not far out from NY either so I get it. After reading this I think I might just go for a 12 week mini-marathon cycle. I'll keep running until mid-January but more base type stuff, long and slower. You've got me thinking, but I'm not gonna think too hard about it until Sunday afternoon.

Just sitting here in Philly at a summer friend's house on the eve of my last race of 2014 - XC Club Nationals. A bit scary for sure as I am running for the Greater Philadelphia Track Club on the Masters 50+ A team and with 7 other women that I do not know. The top 5 score. The last time I ran a true XC race was at this same Club Nationals race (in Seattle) in 2011. It will be an interesting experience. We went to run the course this morning and it is beautiful, but it warmed up today, so I expect it to be a bit muddy and wet given yesterday's dusting of snow. We will see. The good news is that the Masters Women run first. The Open race should be thrilling as they will be extremely competitive filled with Olympic hopefuls and event the 2nd American at the NYC marathon. I believe that the elites are competing for 5 spots on the National Team that will compete at the World level. Not sure I'm worthy of sharing the grass with them. Hopefully, I'll be able to use some of my strength to finish in the (lower) middle of the field and not DFL. There are several teams from the Atlanta Track Club filled with runners that I know and whom it will be fun to see, and there is also a team from Ohio and I'm anxious to meet those women as I might be able to join them next year (if I survive this one).

Last Saturday, a few of us from the local CLE group ran the "The Christmas Story" house 10K. The actual house from the movie is located in CLE, and a guy bought the house and restored it to its movie glory. He then started a Foundation and the race monies (like 90%) go to this foundation which has actually helped restore many of the houses in the same neighborhood and then have folks move it a lot like Habitat for Humanity. The race is fun as many runners dress up like characters from the movie including wearing bunny suits and a leg lamp costume. The overall winners of the 5 and 10K races actually got "Leg Lamps" as their award. I had a Progression Run on my schedule, so after running a 2 mile warm up, I ran the 10K dropping each mile from 8:02 (mile 1) down to 7:21 (mile 6-6.2). The weather was in the high 30s with some rain and some wind (of course). Many runners complained about the wind and the hill (what hill? I guess they call the bridge a hill?), but I felt good the entire way and was pleased with my overall 47:11 final time. I also ended up placing 3rd in my AG. (The winner of my AG only bat me by 15 secs - so something to strive for next year - lol). It was so much fun that we actually singed up for next years race since it was only $25 after the race.

I also was accepted to the NYC Half Marathon on 3/15 which was exciting, but my friend did not get in. Oh well! I did find out that two friends from Atlanta got in from the lottery, so that will be a fun time. I will also have my daughter and her roommate with me for a couple of days as it is their Spring Break.

Went great, Michael. First, I ran 1 min faster than I ran at XC Club Nationals in 2011 in Seattle and that course had no hills and no mud (this one had a good size hill at 2.5 miles that was 0.5 miles long and a bit of mud), and I placed 97th overall in the Masters Womens race. In 2011, I was 98th out of 152 finishers. This year there were 255 finishers!!!

The Men's Masters and Open races were incredible. Packed fields with over 600 athletes in each field. The top 5 in the Open races qualify for Worlds and there was competition for it as Ryan Hill just nailed it in the last few hundred yards to take the win.

Very fun day, and I now remember why I really like to race XC (which is so very different from trail racing). Saw many friends from Atlanta and Ohio and met many new friends from Philadelphia. Great time!

I'm getting almost as negligent as Schuey with posting here. I know that I need to start a new blog for the new year, but that doesn't happen for at least another week - so a new blog can wait too. Seemed to have recovered with no issues from last week's race. I was a bit tight when I got home on Sunday and my lower back (QL) was tight on the right side, but nothing that a good massage couldn't take care of on Wednesday. Took the first couple of runs easy, but ran a great long run this morning over a very hilly route in Bedford, OH. Cold morning and there was some ice on the all-purpose trail, but because the parks are pretty quiet this time of year (and when it it 30F out at 8am), we were able to negotiate the road for the run. Ran the loop faster than I have ever run it and with a nice negative split. Of course, this is the run with the 1.5 mile climb for the start which is always a slow mile. Stayed in the 9:20 range for the first 5 and came back in the 8:30 range - so good run overall.

I'm in a much better place at this time than I was last year at this time, and That is good in my book. I do not think that I have been in this kind of shape since late 2011 into 2012 and that hopefully bodes well for a good lead up to Boston. It will be dependent on our weather and we have been pretty lucky so far. After the early snow in November, it has been pretty clear since with only dustings like we had Thursday night that linger a bit with the cold. It hasn't been super cold either and it is expected to be in the 40s on Monday and Tuesday. It is also supposed to rain on Tuesday which is the norm around here since it is our main workout day. You know the saying, if its Tuesday workout day, it must be raining - lol.

Looking forward to a week in Florida after Christmas. Glad the mileage will be somewhat low though as I'm finally used to 30 degree weather and 70s might feel a bit warm for a run.

I know that I have to close out this blog, but I've been lazy and on vacation only to come back to an "Alberta Clipper" and snow. 2014 ended with just under 1800 miles which is the most I have run in a couple of years and most importantly, I had no downtime due to injury. I hope to get up to 2000 miles next year with the same "no injury" results.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:I know that I have to close out this blog, but I've been lazy and on vacation only to come back to an "Alberta Clipper" and snow. 2014 ended with just under 1800 miles which is the most I have run in a couple of years and most importantly, I had no downtime due to injury. I hope to get up to 2000 miles next year with the same "no injury" results.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:I know that I have to close out this blog, but I've been lazy and on vacation only to come back to an "Alberta Clipper" and snow. 2014 ended with just under 1800 miles which is the most I have run in a couple of years and most importantly, I had no downtime due to injury. I hope to get up to 2000 miles next year with the same "no injury" results.